The Cambridge Framework for Life Competencieslanguageresearch.cambridge.org/images/Language_Research/CamFLiC/... · asking questions to check understanding, giving adequate feedback,

The Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies

CommunicationIntroductory Guide for Teachers and Educational Managers

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CommunicationIntroduction to The Cambridge Framework

for Life Competencies

There have been many initiatives to address the skills and competencies our students needs for the 21st century – each relating to different contexts. At Cambridge we are responding to educators that have asked for a way to understand how all these different approaches to life competencies relate to English language programmes.

We have set out to analyse what the basic components of these competencies are. This is to help us create an underlying framework to interpret different initiatives.

We have grouped the different competencies into six main Areas of Competency, and linked this to three foundation layers of the Framework.

T H E C A M B R I D G E F R A M E W O R K F O R L I F E C O M P E T E N C I E S

Collaboration Social Responsibilities

Critical thinking

Learning to Learn

Creative thinking

Communication

E M O T I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T

D I S C I P L I N E K N O W L E D G E

D I G I TA L L I T E R A C Y

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Then we are developing Can Do Statements (see page 6) to describe what can be expected of a learner at each stage of learning for each competency. The Can Do Statements are phrased as what a learner should be able to do by the end of that stage of learning. We have started to develop Can Do Statements as descriptions of observable behaviour.

The Framework provides different levels of detail – from the broad Areas of Competency to the specific Can Do Statement.

The Learning JourneyWe have also started work on examining the different stages of the learning journey, and how these competencies vary across each stage.

Pre-Primary Primary Secondary

Higher Education At Work

A R E A O F C O M P E T E N C Y

C A N D O S TAT E M E N TC O M P E T E N C Y

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Defining COMMUNICATION Competency

Communication is an essential professional and life skill, enabling us to share information and ideas, as well as express feelings and arguments (Cenere et al., 2015). It is also an active process influenced by the complexities of human behaviour in which elements such as non-verbal behaviour and individual styles of interpreting and ascribing meaning to events have significant influence. Mastering effective communication is a skill which can be developed and honed. It is a set of skills distinct from mastering the core linguistic features of a language.

We have identified three key competencies within the area of Communication.

• Using appropriate language and register for context refers to learners’ understanding that there are formal and informal contexts/situations and they know how to vary language, expressions and adapt communication style so that they are appropriate to the context they are in. Learners can use language for effect by employing a variety of language and rhetorical devices to be more persuasive in an argument, to engage and catch attention, add emphasis or humour.

• Managing conversations is related to learners’ ability to converse with others effectively and efficiently by knowing how to initiate, maintain and end conversations appropriately. It includes skills for turn-taking, interrupting, keeping a conversation going and overcoming own language gaps when they lack key language. Learners are aware of these communication strategies that can help them and their peers convey their messages. This will ensure that learners are able to support others to communicate successfully by engaging others in communication by communicating with clarity, inviting others to participate in shared conversation, asking questions to check understanding, giving adequate feedback, asking for clarification, repetition, using synonyms and descriptions, or make use of contextual cues to understand the meaning of unfamiliar language.

• Participating with appropriate confidence and clarity refers to learners’ ability to communicate effectively with appropriate fluency, confidence and pace. This may include using appropriate tonal and structural variation, facial expression and eye contact as well as an ability to structuring content. This includes organising content in texts, and presentations clearly and in a logical manner. It involves the ability to make use of organisational patterns and cohesive devices to create coherent and cohesive texts.

COMMUNICATION Can Do statements

In this section, we have provided some examples of Can Do Statements which are descriptions of what learners can be expected to do for each competency by the end of that stage of the learning journey. These Can Do Statements will vary in their suitability for learners in different contexts, and so are provided as a starting point in the development of a curriculum, programme or assessment system.

The Can Do Statements at each level generally assume that the learners have developed the skills at a previous stage of learning, although this is not true of the Higher Education and At Work stages, which are treated as being in parallel.

S TA G E O F L E A R N I N G C O M P E T E N C I E S C A N D O S TAT E M E N T

PRE-PRIMARY Using appropriate language and register for context

1 Understands and carries out basic instructions for class/school. 2 Expresses basic likes/dislikes and agreement/ disagreement. 3 Uses simple, polite forms of greetings, introductions and farewells (i.e. saying hello, please, thank you, sorry). 4 Adjusts language for playing roles (e.g., teacher, an animal, a character from a story).

Managing conversations 5 Listens while others are talking. 6 Shares and takes turns when speaking. 7 Responds appropriately to questions. 8 Uses basic communication strategies, such as asking for repetition or making a self-repair, in a very simple way. 9 Speaks with clarity and participates in group activities.

Participating with appropriate confidence and clarity

10 Asks and answers simple questions

PRIMARY Using appropriate language and register for context

11 Talks about their day, their family, their interests, and other topics suitable for primary school. 12 Knows how to ask for permission, apologise, and make requests and (dis) agree. 13 Uses polite forms of greeting and address and responds to invitations, suggestions, apologies, etc. 14 Changes sound levels and pitch when doing drama or acting a role in a play.

Managing conversations 15 Knows how to take turns appropriately in a conversation. 16 Knows how to interrupt someone politely. 17 Uses reformulations and modifications to overcome communication gaps. 18 Asks for clarification when communication is difficult. 19 Shares ideas with a peer before writing and speaking tasks.


20 Contributes in lessons by asking questions, attempting responses, explaining understanding. 21 Shares his/her thoughts with others to help further develop ideas and solve problems. 22 Can tell a story or describe something in a simple way. 23 Uses simple connectors such as ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘because’ to link groups of words.

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SECONDARY Using appropriate language and register for context

24 Uses appropriate forms of address, greetings, and farewells. 25 Knows how to present points clearly and persuasively. 26 Uses language for effect (exaggerations, cleft sentences). 27 Knows what language is more appropriate for friends and unfamiliar persons. 28 Understands which topics are appropriate for conversation (or not) in different contexts.

Managing conversations 29 Uses appropriate language to negotiate meaning: a) to show understanding; b) to signal lack of understanding; c) to seek repetition; d) to seek clarification; e) to control speed, volume of interlocutors’ speech; f) to check own understanding; g) to check interlocutors’ understanding. 30 Can use simple techniques to start, maintain and close conversations of various lengths. 31 Uses appropriate strategies to deal with language gaps: a) signalling a gap; b) appealing to interlocutors for assistance; c) using non-linguistic means (e.g. pointing, drawing); d) using an approximate synonym; e) guessing / coining a ‘new’ item from existing knowledge of words / morphemes; 32 Paraphrasing (e.g. superordinate + post modifier). 33 Invites contributions for interlocutors in a conversation. 34 Uses appropriate strategies to develop a conversation (e.g. showing interest, giving non-minimal responses, asking follow-up questions).


35 Speaks with suitable fluency. 36 Writes at a suitable pace. 37 Starts and manages conversations with confidence. 38 Speaks effectively with unfamiliar persons. 39 Uses facial expressions and eye contact appropriately. 40 Can develop a clear description or narrative with a logical sequence of points. 41 Uses a number of cohesive devices to link utterances/sentences into clear, coherent discourse.

HE STUDENT Using appropriate language and register for context

42 Is aware of differences in communication styles, between individuals and between cultures. 43 Is aware of how suitability of topics can vary according to context and culture. 44 Expresses a point of view, elicits and responds to others’ points of view politely. 45 Puts across a point of view persuasively, backing up with evidence and anticipating counter-arguments. 46 Can express themselves with clarity and politely in a formal or informal register, appropriate to the situation and the person concerned.

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HE STUDENT Managing conversations 47 Can engage in a discussion on different topics using appropriate language. 48 Knows how to finish a message when lacking key language by describing, using gestures, and alternative terms. 49 Takes shared responsibility for negotiation of meaning. 50 Anticipates possible sites of communication breakdown in an interaction.


51 Participates actively in discussions / debates on topics of interest. 52 Uses tonal and structural variation to engage listeners/readers. 53 Presents their point of view in a task with no preparation. 54 Structures and manages spoken and written text in terms of thematic organisation, coherence and cohesion, styles and register, logical ordering. 55 Supports and expands main points with details, examples and provides an appropriate conclusion.

AT WORK Using appropriate language and register for context

56 Can adapt register to different types of interlocutor (i.e. colleagues, managers and customers). 57 Keeps a discussion moving by periodically summarising and moving to next topic. 58 Sums up the outcomes of a discussion and elicits confirmation. 59 Can communicate effectively with speakers in their community and speakers of the target language taking into account sociocultural and sociolinguistic differences. 60 Varies sentence patterns to achieve effect for argument, emphasis and humour when speaking or writing. 61 Draws on a range of discourse functions to gain others’ attention or to make an important point. 62 Draws on a range of discourse functions to gain others’ attention or to make an important point.

Managing conversations 63 Interrupts a colleague appropriately in a meeting. 64 Changes topic of conversation in an appropriate way. 65 Chairs a meeting. 66 Paraphrases/summarises the interlocutor’s speech to check comprehension. 67 Can initiate, maintain and end conversations effectively and appropriately. 68 Takes part in conversations and discussions by using appropriate language with effective turn-taking. 69 Can use context to understand unknown language. 70 Asks for clarifications, re-formulations, examples when lacking key language. 71 Provides constructive feedback. 72 Gives suggestions and contributes, ideas during communications of various types.


73 Proposes courses of action, elicits and responds to others’ proposals politely. 74 Organises and executes spoken and written forms of communication effectively: a. can write effective emails b. can write business letters c. can do presentations 75 Creates coherent and cohesive texts making appropriate use of a variety of organisational patterns and a wide range of cohesive devices.

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Plan for the party• garden• Saturday• 20

gg• SaturdaySaturday• 20• 20

We’re going to have the party in

my garden …We’re going to have the party in We re going to have the party

my garden …my g e …

Say it right SSaayy iiittt i hSay it rightg

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CD3 Listen and repeat. Say ‘Daisy’ /z/ or ‘Lucy’ /s/.

1 Cars.

Speaking 16 Plan a party. Ask and answer.You and your friends are going to have a party. Talk about it. Use these words to ask questions.

Writing 17 Write about your plans for the party.

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Cars. That’s Daisy.

A red shoe!

/z/ Daisy loves limes, lemons, peas and plums.And she enjoys music and playing the drums.

/s/ Lucy likes rice, salad, soup and sport.She also likes Science and riding her horse.

What’s red andlooks like a shoe?

Or we can have it in my garden.

Where?When?How many people?What time / start?What time / finish?What / eat?What / drink?What / need?

Where are we going to have the party?

We can have it in the playground.

OK.

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CD3

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CD3

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Examples of activities practising COMMUNICATION

Here are some examples of activities within Cambridge courses that support the development of competencies in this area. For each example, we have given one of the competencies that it supports, as well as the most relevant Can Do Statement that it specifically relates to. These examples are suitable for different stages of learning – from Primary to Adult learners.

SPEAKING

PREPARATION FOR SPEAKING

OPENING STATEMENTS1 1.5 Listen to an opening statement in a debate about using animals for

entertainment. Answer the questions below.

1 What is the speaker’s opinion about using animals for entertainment?2 What arguments are used by the speaker?3 What examples are given to support each argument?4 What information is given at the end of the presentation?

Using signposting language to help the audienceGood speakers use signposting phrases (for example, fi rst of all, to summarize) to organize their arguments. These phrases are like road signs – they help the listeners understand where the presentation is going and help the listeners understand your main points.

2 1.5 Listen again. Which phrases does the speaker use?

1 Firstly,2 First of all,3 Furthermore,4 It’s crucial to remember that …5 It is well-known that …6 Secondly,7 Another point is that …8 To sum up,9 In conclusion, 10 To summarize the main points, 11 In short, 12 Finally,

3 Work with a partner and discuss the questions below.

1 Which phrases from Exercise 2 introduce the fi rst argument?2 Which phrases add another idea?3 Which phrases summarize the main arguments?

LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS 328 SPEAKING

Competency

Managing conversations

Competency


Can Do Statement

Shares ideas with a peer before writing and speaking tasks.

Knows how to take turns appropriately in a conversation.

Can Do Statement

Uses a number of cohesive devices to link utterances/sentences into clear, coherent discourse.

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Kid’s Box Level 5, page 62, ISBN 9788483234990 [Primary]

Unlock Level 3, Listening and Speaking, page 28, ISBN 9781107687288 [HE/Adult]

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DEVELOPING SPEAKING

2 Work in pairs. Discuss what happens next in the story. Write down your ideas. We think Olivia and Megan fi nd the box.They fi nd … there.

3 EP4 Watch to fi nd out how the story continues.

4 Answer the questions.

1 What is Luke worried about?2 Where does Ryan think Luke is going?3 What’s the problem with the mobile?4 What does Olivia do to solve the problem?5 What’s the problem for Luke and Ryan?6 What do the girls fi nd in the box?

PHRASES FOR FLUENCY1 Find the expressions 1–5 in the story. Who says

them? How do you say them in your language?

0 no chance Ryan 3 Absolutely.

1 … and stuff . 4 So, … ?

2 Never mind. 5 … such good fun

2 Complete the dialogue with the expressions in Exercise 1.

A Do you want to come round tonight? We can play computer games 1 .

B Sure. I love computer games, they’re 2 .

A Of course. And can you bring your new laptop?B 3 . It’s my brother’s, too. I can’t take it.

A 4 . We can use mine. 5 , is seven o’clock OK?

B 6 ! See you at seven!

2 Match the sentences.1 Th is chicken isn’t very good. 2 Someone’s talking. Who is it? 3 Let’s buy her a present. 4 He’s a really nice guy. 5 What’s that animal?

a Like what? A poster perhaps?b Yes, he’s just like his sister, she’s nice too.c I’m not sure. It looks like a dog, but it isn’t.d Th at’s right. It tastes like fi sh!e It sounds like Jim.

3 Complete the dialogues using a phrase with like.

1 A I really hate tomatoes. B I’m you. I hate them, too.2 A Here’s a photo of my sister. B Wow. She really you!3 A We should do some exercise. B ? Go for a walk?4 A Let’s go to the cinema. B Th at a great idea.

Workbook page 66

FUNCTIONSAsking for repetition and clarifi cation 1 Complete the extracts from the conversations

with the words from the list.you mean | Sorry? | Like what

LUKE Come to my house aft er school.RYAN Sorry, no chance. I have things to do.LUKE 1 , Ryan?

RYAN OK, that sounds like a good idea. But hurry up! LUKE What do 2 ?

MEGAN We’re on a treasure hunt. RYAN 3 MEGAN A GPS treasure hunt.

2 Match the expressions in Exercise 1 with their defi nitions.

a Say that again. b What are you trying to say? c Give me an example.

ROLE PLAY A phone callWork in pairs. Student A: Go to page 127. Student B: Go to page 128. Take two or three minutes to prepare. Th en have a conversation.

WordWise Expressions with like1 Complete the sentences from the story with

the phrases in the list.like | looks like | sounds like | Like what

1 Oh, yeah? , Ryan?2 It a box. It IS a box.3 Th at a good idea.4 Treasure? You mean, a box with

a litt le surprise in it?

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ExaggerationWhen we feel emotional about something, we tend to exaggerate – we call something ‘a brilliant idea’, ‘the best (fi lm) ever’, ‘an amazing journey’, etc. But we oft en don’t mean that literally. As a listener you need to be aware of exaggeration and understand what the speaker is really saying.

1 Read the example and answer the questions.

Last night’s train journey was terrible. It was the worst journey of my life. The train was two hours late and then it stopped for ages in the middle of nowhere. I was so bored I thought I was going to go mad. I hope today’s journey won’ t be so bad.

6 BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

1 How many exaggerations does the speaker make?2 What are they?3 What does he really mean in each case?

2 SPEAKING Work with a partner. Tell them about something really good or bad that happened to you recently. Use exaggeration.

My journey home from school is nothing special. The train’s always busy but I usually fi nd a seat and start reading or texting my friends, making sure, like everyone else, not to look at other people. Then, twenty minutes later, I get off.

But last Tuesday was different. I was happily looking out of the window listening to some new music I’d downloaded that morning when the train suddenly stopped. This wasn’t unusual and I didn’t think anything of it. Then after about fi ve minutes, I noticed people were starting to get a bit annoyed. They were looking around and tutting to themselves. Fifteen minutes later, people started getting more and more annoyed – the train still hadn’t moved. The longer the train stood still, the more annoyed people became until fi nally the dreaded announcement came: ‘We are sorry to announce that this train is delayed.’

That seemed to calm people down and so we all went back to what we were doing before, but soon there was another announcement: we

were going to be there for a long time – a train had broken down in front of us. There was a loud groan throughout the carriage but then something unexpected happened: complete strangers started talking to each other. At fi rst, everyone just complained about the trains, but then people started talking about real things. I started chatting to a couple of young tourists sitting opposite me. They were from Spain and they were travelling around the UK so I recommended some places they should visit. They were having an amazing time and were taking the delay in their stride. Next, I really surprised myself by starting a conversation with a businesswoman. It turned out that there was so much more to her than a suit. She spends her weekends mountain-climbing and was going to take three months off work to climb Everest. It was fascinating talking to her. I’ve been wrong all my life, business people are a lot cooler than I thought. Then I decided to get up and go for a walk down the train. I met a woman who had been a student at my school seven years before and knew lots of my

teachers. It seems my teachers were just as strict then as they are now.

People offered each other food and drink. A young woman took out her guitar and soon we were singing along. It was so much fun. While we were singing, we heard there was a diabetic man in another part of the train who needed help, and the woman from my school jumped into action. It turned out she was a nurse, and when she came back she was welcomed as a hero.

Then, after two and a half hours, we started moving again. Everyone clapped and cheered and some people, complete strangers three hours before, even hugged.

Of course, this journey didn’t change anything. I took the train again on Wednesday but none of my new ‘friends’ were there. All the faces were new. Although people were polite, they weren’t nearly as friendly as the people the day before had been. So I sat down and started texting. But I’ll never forget the day the train stopped and people started talking.

people

TALKINGstartedTh

eda

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Pronunciation Linking words with /dʒ/ and/tʃ/ Go to page 120.

Competency

Managing conversations

Can Do Statement

Uses appropriate language to negotiate meaning:

a) to showunderstanding;

b) to signal lack of understanding;

c) to seek repetition;

d) to seek clarification;

e) to control speed, volume of interlocutors’ speech;

f) to check own understanding;

g) to check interlocutors’ understanding.

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Think Level 1, page 73, ISBN 9781107508804 [Secondary]

Competency

Using appropriate language and register for context

Can Do Statement

Uses language for effect (exaggerations, cleft sentences, inversions).

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Think Level 4, page 57, ISBN 9781107573253 [Secondary]

Further informationHere are a number of books or articles that you could also look at:

Canale, M. (1983). From communicative competence to communicative language pedagogy. In J. C. Richards & R. W. Schmidt (Eds.), Language and communication (pp. 2–27). London: Longman.

Cenere, P., Gill, R., Lawson, C., & Lewis, M. (2015). Communication skills for business professionals / Phillip Cenere, Robert Gill, Celeste Lawson and Michael Lewis. Victoria, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

Celce-Murcia, M., Dornyei, Z., & Thurrell, S. (1995). Communicative Competence: A Pedagogically Motivated Model with Content Specifications. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 6(2).

Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Available at https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/home

Dörnyei, Z., and Scott, M. L. (1997). Communication Strategies in a Second Language: Definitions and Taxonomies. Language Learning, 47(1), 173–210. https://doi.org/10.1111/0023-8333.51997005

Halliday, M. A. K. (1973). Explorations in the functions of language // M.A.K. Halliday. London: Edward Arnold.

Hymes, D. (1972). Models of the interaction of language and social life. In J. J. Gumperz & D. Hymes (Eds.), Directions in Sociolinguistics: The Ethnography of Communication. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

✓ Creative Thinking

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cambridge.org/cambridgeenglish

You can find information about the other competencies in The Cambridge Framework for Life Competencies at http://languageresearch.cambridge.org/cflc

✓ Collaboration

✓ Creative Thinking

✓ Critical Thinking

✓ Emotional Development

✓ Learning to Learn

✓ Social Responsibilities

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The Cambridge Framework for Life Competencieslanguageresearch.cambridge.org/images/Language_Research/CamFLiC/... · asking questions to check understanding, giving adequate feedback,